The Wrong Shoes by Tom Percival

This new novel from bestselling author Tom Percival is a moving and authentic story about child poverty, bullying and peer pressure. It's about finding the confidence to make friends with the right people and do the right thing when it seems like everyone else is doing wrong.

Will is struggling but no one knows. He can't tell his parents, who have recently separated and are worried about money. He can't tell anyone at school - they only see "the boy in the untrendy shoes". He can't even tell his best friend Cameron, who has the coolest shoes in school. So Will keeps everything bottled up. But where will this lead him? He wants to be a good and kind person, and he doesn't want to stand out anymore. But that's not easy when he's pushed to fit into a gang of boys with the wrong motives.

Will's only escape is losing himself in his artwork, and it seems his art teacher will be looking out for him. But when things get too overwhelming, will anyone be able to spot Will's hidden troubles? And if not, can Will pull his confidence to the forefront and make the right choices on his own?

The Wrong Shoes is a thought-provoking book for junior readers, and will be loved by fans of Cath Howe and Onjali Rauf. Will is a resilient character, and Percival writes about him with raw emotion, originality and authenticity. This book will really make you care about the characters - characters who are real and flawed, and are all hiding something under the surface. It explores the emotions and feelings of older children, just as Tom Percival does expertly in his picture books for younger readers. We look forward to selling this necessary book, especially since £1 from each hardback sale will be donated to the National Literacy Trust to support children in poverty.

The Wrong Shoes

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